Toy machine gun



E. C. MITCHELL TOY MACHINE GUN Feb. 25, 1936.

Filed Jan. 9, 1935 IIII!!!lllflillllflfllllllll Patented Feb. 25, 1936 UiTED STATES ATENT OFFIQE 4 Claims.

My present invention relates to the provision of a toy machine gun, and I have had as my principal objects the designing of such a structure and its various parts so that it may be not only efiectiye but may be made economically and sold at an attractive price.

The projectiles are suitable lengths of cylindrical wooden rods which, particularly for replenishment purposes, may be purchased at very little expense from any hardware store under the name of dowel rod and the parts of the apparatus are all susceptible of being formed cheaply with dies and with a wood lathe and the assembly of the divers parts is quickly and easily accomplished.

I have attained the foregoing objects by means of the structure illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the structure.

Fig. 2 is a perspective of one of the projectiles to a larger scale.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation looking into the muzzle of the gun.

Fig. 4 is a sectional, central, longitudinal, fragmental elevation through the barrel and a part of the magazine.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section on line 5--5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the cam removed from the barrel, and

Fig. 7 is a perspective of the cylinder removed from the barrel but associated with the propeller element for forcing the projectiles from the gun.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the respective views.

For appearance I have mounted the barrel l8 upon a carriage comprising the wheels H, axle l2 and trail I3. The barrel [9 is a hollow cylinder preferably formed of a cylindrically rolled piece [4 in which disk-shaped ends l5 and it are secured with turned over tongues or tang-s IT, or in any other desired manner. The cylindrically formed piece M has provided in the top thereof at the front end a rectangular slot by cutting and forcing up the metal of the cylinder,

' as at I8, to receive the lower end of a hopper magazine [9, which hopper magazine is beaded, at 20, so as not to extend or sink too far into the cylinder. The hopper magazine l9 may be formed of a single piece of metal suitably bent or broken, the ends 2| thereof being spaced apart at one side so that the projectiles therein may be seen. Adjacent the lower edge of the front disk 15, is an aperture 22 of a suitable size to permit the escape of the projectile. Secured to or forming the rear disk It is a disk having the cam 23 formed in its inner face, as most clearly shown I in Fig. 6. The highest point or lip of the cam is positioned to align with the following edge of the aperture 22 in the front end closure. The rear disk 16 is centrally perforated at 24 for the passage of the stem of the crank 25, which stem screws into a substantially cylindrical piece 26 rotatable by means of the crank within the barrel It. The part 26 has one or more longitudinal grooves 21 of a depth to receive the size of projectiles desired. The element 26 is not a perfect cylinder in that the approaching sides 28 of the forward ends of the grooves 21 which receive the projectiles, are cut back so as to facilitate and quicken the receipt of the projectiles in the grooves. The impeller elements are extremely simple in construction and efiective in operation and consist of a stiffening length of dowel rod 29, along one side of which extends a length of spring wire 30. The front end of the wire 39 is formed into an impeller coil 3| which extends in front of and beyond the stiffener rod 29 and at the rear the spring wire is formed into a helix 32 to engage the rear end of the stifiener rod 29 and a retractor coil 33 of greater diameter, the end of which retractor coil is secured at 34 to the substantially cylindrical piece 26.

When the rear end of the stifiener piece 29 is not riding the cam 23 the retractor spring 33 holds the rod 29 and impeller spring 3| sufficiently rearwardly in the groove 21 so as not to interfere with the receipt of the projectiles from the hopper [9. The rotation of the element 26 causes the end of the element 29 to ride the cam, thereby forcing the rod 29 forwardly forcing the impeller spring against the rear end of the projectile until the projectile is opposite the aperture 22 when the projectile is discharged from the toy. As soon as the rotation carries the rear end of the rod 29 beyond the lip of the cam 23 the retractor spring 33 retracts the entire impeller element so that the groove 27 may receive the next projectile. For the purpose of keeping the element 26 at all times in the forward portion of the cylinder I0 I have provided the spring 35 surrounding the stem of the crank 25.

The simplicity of the parts permits the manufacture of this toy at a very small figure, and its appearance, dependability of operation and the cheapness of the projectiles recommend it as a purchase.

Having described my invention what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A toy machine gun comprising a hollow cylinder having an opening for the introduction of projectiles in the top at one end thereof and having an opening for the discharge of projectiles located eccentrically in one end thereof, a longitudinally grooved cylinder rotatably mounted Within said hollow cylinder, impellers mounted in said grooves, said impellers comprising a stiifener rod, an impeller spring extending from one end of said rod and a retractor spring surrounding the other end of said rod and a cam disposed in the end of said hollow cylinder co-operating with said stiifener rod to force the same into and permit its withdrawal from the groove within which it is located.

2- A toy machine gun comprising a hollow cylinder having an opening for the introduction of projectiles in the top at one end thereof and having an opening for the discharge of'projectiles located eccentrically in one end thereof, a longitudinally grooved cylinder rotatably mounted within said hollow cylinder, impellers mounted in said grooves, said impellers comprising a stiffener rod, an impeller spring extending from one end of said rod and a retractor spring surrounding the other end of said rod and a cam disposed in the end of said hollow cylinder cooperating with said stiffener rod to force the same into and permit its withdrawal from the groove Within which it is located, the approaching edges of said grooves being cut back to facilitate the receipt of projectiles in said groove.

3. In toy guns an impeller comprising a length of rod having a coiled impeller spring extending from one end thereof and a retractor spring sur- .rounding the other end thereof, and a single means for concurrently compressing said respective springs and independent means for successively releasing said impeller spring and then said retractor spring.

4. In toy guns an impeller comprising a length of rod, a steel spring extending longitudinally thereof, said spring at one end being formed into an impeller coil extending forwardly from one end of said rod, the other end of said spring being formed into a coil for engaging said rod and a retractor coil of larger diameter and a single means for concurrently compressing said respective springs and independent means for successively releasing said impeller spring and then said retractor spring.

ELMER C. MITCHELL. 

